


Contrariwise (Sin is Relative at Best Remix)

by inksheddings



Category: Loveless
Genre: Community: remix_redux, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-29
Updated: 2007-04-29
Packaged: 2017-10-16 00:05:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/166288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inksheddings/pseuds/inksheddings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between sin and salvation. The seven deadly sins meet their match.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Contrariwise (Sin is Relative at Best Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Superbia](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/2569) by allira_dream. 



**1\. Kindness**

"Seimei! Why are you here?"

Not that the _why_ really matters. Ritsuka loves having Seimei show up unexpectedly. Not only does he get his big brother's company, but usually Seimei buys him something on the way home.

"I came to pick you up," Seimei answers with a smile that warms Ritsuka all the way through to the tip of his tail. "Would you prefer I didn't?"

"Of course I don't! Seimei, can we go and get some ice cream?" Ritsuka asks as he laughs and takes hold of Seimei's arm. He lets go quickly, though, when Seimei flinches. "Seimei, are you all right? And why is your coat so- so- _dusty_?" He's not used to seeing Seimei hurt or in any sort of disorder, and Ritsuka's heart beats a little too fast in concern.

"No ice cream. It'll spoil your appetite." Seimei answers only one of Ritsuka's questions, but he pinches both of his cheeks and smiles brightly, relaxing Ritsuka once again.

"Awwww," Ritsuka pouts as he swats Seimei's hands away from his face. Okay, he isn't _really_ pouting. He knows Seimei is only making him work for the ice cream. At least he hopes... _Who- who's that?_

Ritsuka sees a man standing just a little ways behind Seimei. He's not looking at them, but he's not exactly going anywhere either. He looks strange and...he doesn't have ears!

"Seimei?" Ritsuka asks uncertainly, wondering if they should offer the man some help. "Is he your...friend?"

Ritsuka feels the warm weight of Seimei's hand ruffle his hair, and he immediately feels less anxious.

"No. He's no one important. Let's go home. What do you have for homework?"

"Too much math," Ritsuka answers, wrinkling his nose and flattening his ears in distaste. He's still watching the man though, even as Seimei is leading him away.

The man's long hair falls in his face as he pulls a cell phone from his pocket, which slips out of his hands and falls to the ground. Ritsuka thinks he looks a little sad, like he wouldn't mind curling up on the ground with his phone.

Seimei is still talking about homework, but Ritsuka pulls away and runs back toward the man. As he leans down to pick up the phone, which seems to have suffered only a few scratches, he notices a pair of glasses lying nearby.

"Oh! Are the glasses yours, too?" He picks them up along with the phone and holds both items out, one in each hand, offering them to the stranger. Ritsuka doesn't think he _feels_ scared, but for some reason his hands are shaking anyway. The man is so pale, and he's dusty too. Just like Seimei.

"Do you- do you need me to call somebody?"

His eyes dart behind Ritsuka as he accepts the phone and the glasses. He still isn't looking directly at Ritsuka when he speaks, and it's not even an answer to his question.

"Thank you."

Ritsuka smiles at the sound of his voice; it's deep and...resonating? Yeah, that's the right word. It's almost as warm as Seimei's.

"Ritsuka! Don't be a slowpoke or I'll be the only one eating ice cream."

 _Ice cream!_

Ritsuka smiles once more at the strange man and runs back to his brother's side. He doesn't like to keep Seimei waiting.

 **2\. Charity**

He never knows what to say. That wouldn't be so bad if he at least knew what to _do_. But Misaki.... He lost her years ago; so slowly he didn't even notice until he came home from work one night to the sound of screams and broken dishes and Seimei standing in front of Ritsuka, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, protecting his younger brother from a shrieking version of the woman who used to sing Ritsuka to sleep with the gentlest of voices.

Seimei still protects Ritsuka. He discovers this as he stands in his son's bedroom and watches him sleep. Ritsuka sleeps with one of Seimei's school shirts draped over his pillow. He's also wearing a pair of Seimei's pajamas that are far too big, and as he keeps watching he can't help but see an infant Ritsuka, innocence and trust and perfection, all a long time gone.

He thinks he should have given all of Seimei's things away, despite his wife's objections. But he'd given in, gone to work, gone to the bar (gone anywhere he could, really) and now he thinks it's too late.

He can't protect his remaining son. Seimei still has that job, and he thinks maybe the only thing he has left to give Ritsuka is the comfort of the brother who taught him to run and lock his bedroom door.

After all, the only reason he'd snuck into his son's room is because he realized he hadn't actually seen Ritsuka for nearly two weeks. If he's honest with himself, he hasn't truly _seen_ Ritsuka for far longer.

As he leaves, re-locking and closing the bedroom door, he makes note to replace the lock with something stronger. If he'd been able to get it open, without waking Ritsuka even, Misaki would have no trouble doing the same.

 **3\. Diligence**

"Good night, Ritsuka. I love you."

"Stupid."

Soubi breathes deeply, tickling the top of Ritsuka's head before he falls asleep, leaving Ritsuka with his thoughts.

Ritsuka knows he sleeps better with Soubi at his side, wrapped around him. He knows this and he's not sure how he feels about it. Or how he _should_ feel about it, even.

Soubi never tries anything, at least no more than he ever has. Kisses, of course, and hands that wander close but never _that_ close. All of that stuff Ritsuka grew used to ages ago, so Soubi's not the problem, not what troubles him.

Sometimes, when Soubi climbs into bed and fits their bodies together in such a way that warms Ritsuka more than heavy blankets ever could, his subconscious betrays him and he ends up dreaming of _more_ than just kisses. Hands that don't just wander close, but take hold. Bodies that don't just fit close, but inside each other.

And when Ritsuka wakes up in the morning, he is more than well-rested; more than content. But he knows that won't last. He knows one morning he'll wake up after one of those dreams and he'll feel anything _but_ content. He'll have a warm and willing Soubi wrapped around him and his body will finally convince his mind that he desperately wants those dreams to become reality.

It's hard to believe he'll ever be ready for that.

But as Soubi pulls him closer in his sleep, mumbling nonsense, and Ritsuka automatically snuggles closer too, he can't help but quietly laugh. Thinking constantly about what he has now and what he might one day want to have is exhausting.

No wonder he sleeps so well.

 **4\. Temperance**

Kio figures he should be used to it by now, the weird give and take between Soubi and Ritsuka. But it still catches him by surprise now and then. Like at this very moment, as he's sitting on the bed in Soubi's apartment pretending to read a magazine. Really, who needs print media when you've got these two?

Before Ritsuka, Soubi's moods and actions were a lesson in extremes. Extremely energetic when Seimei called; extremely morose when Seimei didn't call. Up and down, back and forth... Being friends with Soubi had often made Kio more nauseous than riding Space Mountain three times in a row.

There were times Kio had seriously considered walking away – for his own mental health, since he couldn't seem to do anything for Soubi's. But now, watching Soubi patiently goad Ritsuka into another bite of watermelon....

Kio doesn't call Soubi "pervert" anymore. A pervert wouldn't give a damn about what a kid does or doesn't remember about the foods he likes. A pervert wouldn't urge a kid to taste something that may or may not be new just because he's learned something about free will and wants to return the favor.

Yeah, Kio used to think about walking away, but now he's glad he's sticking around. _Besides_ , he thinks as he turns to a new page he probably won't actually read, _I'll get to finish what's left of the watermelon_.

 **5\. Humility**

"It's okay. It's okay, Ritsuka," Soubi whispers as Ritsuka presses his face against his thigh, his hands clutching Soubi's jeans as though letting go would mean the end of the world.

And maybe it would. Soubi's world had certainly ended when Seimei had gone away. But then he'd found Ritsuka, still a little boy, and suddenly his world was reborn. Soubi was reborn, slowly and painfully and messily, just when he'd thought there couldn't possibly be anything more he could learn, certainly nothing a child like Ritsuka could teach.

Seimei had never needed comfort, or at least he'd never appeared to. Soubi certainly couldn't have asked Seimei _for_ comfort, because that would have ensured just the opposite.

Soubi isn't sure what it has cost Ritsuka to show up here, crying and shaking and almost wordlessly asking for something he most likely doesn't want but needs nonetheless. But whatever the cost, Soubi has learned another lesson, free of charge.

Here, on the bare floor, Ritsuka is strong enough to admit his weaknesses. _If he can do that...._ Soubi thinks as he starts to cry. His tears drop into Ritsuka's hair and he smiles; soaked jeans and soaked hair - more mess, but they're making this one together. _If he can do that, then so can I._

 **6\. Forgiveness**

Misaki prays to Seimei as she sits in her dark kitchen in her dark house, all the windows and curtains shut against the blinding morning light outside. With hands that won't quite come together, she prays for guidance and maybe...maybe for forgiveness.

She's not sure _why_ she should need or want to be forgiven. It's not her fault Ritsuka was stolen from her and an imposter put in his place, as though she was stupid enough not to notice the difference. It's _his_ fault Ritsuka is gone; _his_ fault that Seimei-

Oh, Seimei.

Such a good son. So kind and generous, he had actually tried to protect the imposter. Her love for Seimei had grown because of that, as had her hatred of the one who called himself Ritsuka.

She slams a fist down on the table, knocking over a cup still sitting there from last night. She doesn't set it right. If Seimei were here, he could set everything right, yet....

Seimei had spent so much time with that creature, he _had_ to have known it wasn't his little brother, hadn't he? So why had he protected him for so long? Why hadn't he let her deal with the imposter, force him to tell the truth, tell her where her Ritsuka was and what he had done to him?

Misaki didn't understand then and understands even less now, but with Seimei gone, with no one around to protect him, she _could_ deal with him. She _could_ force him, like she had last night with his arm bent behind his back and the stairs so temptingly close.

But she'd hesitated. She'd heard the crack of his bone and was about to push but then he'd _looked_ at her and what she'd seen in his eyes...Seimei. She'd seen a little bit of Seimei, he and Ritsuka had always looked so much alike, and could she have been wrong?

She'd hesitated and he'd gotten away.

He was still in the hospital and she was praying to Seimei; praying for forgiveness she didn't need but had already been given by a boy she'd wanted to push down the stairs.

 **7\. Purity**

When Ritsuka comes, it's Soubi who always says, "Please, please, please, please..." over and over and over, like it's a prayer that will ensure their salvation.

Somehow, that makes Ritsuka feel better than the orgasm itself.

  
 **END**


End file.
